THE tallest mountain on Earth was no match for Tyneside adventurer Ed Laughton.

The intrepid charity volunteer has just added his name to the few hardy souls who have conquered Mount Everest.

Ed, a designer, became fascinated with the daunting mountain whilst working in Nepal and the Himalayas with his wife, Jen.

Based at a tiny health clinic at the Everest Base Camp, the pair learned all there was to learn about mountaineering as they helped provide medical care to trekkers as well as locals.

While Jen returned home to her job as a GP, Ed vowed to conquer the magnificent monolith, traversing punishing climbs, breathtaking altitude and dangerous weather conditions.

Now Ed is quite literally on top of the world having reached the 29,000ft summit after a nail-biting scramble.

Describing the moment he and his party of experienced mountaineers reached their target, the 30-year-old said: “It was like being in a dream. I looked at my feet then took the final steps up onto the tiny patch which is the highest place in the world. I’d actually made it.

“I looked up and punched the air feeling a massive rush of adrenaline and emotion.

“I looked down at the sun and turned round, slowly taking in the view, everything was below me and stretched away beautifully.

“I could see all the way to our Base Camp, into the Khumbu Valley. From there you can see everything. Huge mountains look like tiny hills.”

It was the end of a journey that saw the group trekking and climbing through the night, battling to pitch tents on treacherous snowy crags and facing chilling winds of up to 80mph.

And that was just on the way up.

Relaxing back at his base after an expedition which has taken up the best part of three months, Ed remembered more about the journey to the top. “The sun was up, there was barely a cloud to be seen and I was standing on the top of the world – I’ve never wanted to take a photo so badly in my life,” he wrote on his blog.

“After three months away from home there was no more climbing upwards. I could descend, get back to Kathmandu for a shave and a shower and warm night in a proper bed. Then I could at last go home. I pulled the sat phone out of my pocket and dialled Jen, convinced it wouldn’t work.

“Hello? Ed? Is that you? Are you OK? Have you made it? Where are you?” “It’s me Angel,” I replied, and then my voice broke with joy, relief and sheer, utter exhaustion. I made it.”

Now Ed, of Gosforth, Newcastle, is looking forward to returning home to Jen and their friends on Sunday.

But perhaps the adventure isn’t quite over. In 2011, Jen is planning to volunteer in the region again, and Ed is planning to climb the mountain a second time.